Mine
by Tusk Of Thyme
Summary: Charlie and Steven meet many years again after drifting apart from college when Charlie has invited the Meeks family to celebrate Christmas at his estate-we all know Charlie has ulterior motives though, he always does. oneshot.


"Steven." His attention was captured, much like his arm, by the lean man in an almost identical, pressed tuxedo. It's a wonder he didn't drop his rosy coloured wine.

"Charles." Steven had been trying so hard to avoid another confrontation with this man-in a Christmas party this large with it's formal figures and gold-silver trimmings, it really shouldn't have been so hard.

He politely excused himself and succumbed to Charlie's light tug simply because Steven can't possibly imagine a way out of it without causing a suspicious scene. Where the Hell is Marian when he needs her?

The alcohol stained pink, woody tones and the distinct warmth of Christmas celebration are abrasively truncated as Charlie silently led Steven out onto a stone terrace; hidden from onlookers' view.

Charlie stood facing the night sky as Steven decided there was no point in being immature and lounged against the stone that cupped them inside the terrace, next to Charlie and facing inside with the gold light colouring his face. With a disenchanted sigh, Steven let his wine sit and undid his irritating bow tie of a deep navy blue, purely because he needed to occupy his hands. It would have been _completely_ freezing out here if it wasn't for the outdoor heating lamp that almost made it too hot-or...was that Charlie?

"What was it?" Steven snapped out of his hidden-nervous spacing and looked to Charlie for an elaboration. "What you put in your wife's drink."

Steven refused to look as scandalized as he felt and merely adjusted his tortishell glasses as he tried to fabricate a lie. "I'm afraid-"

"Don't lie, Steven, its unbecoming of you." Charlie still hadn't looked the other man in the eye, instead he focused on the massive, night-shrouded Dalton estate that splayed out in front of him.

"Ah-" Steven sighed. "Marian...believes medication is for people who should be shut away in asylums, stupid people...she refuses to believe that she suffers from depression so...at parties I-I" Steven sighed again, rubbing his temples as a weight settled in on his chest. What right did Charlie have to pry? And what was he doing confessing? "Slip a crumbled pill into her drink and for a couple of hours...her smile comes easy..."

At first Charlie didn't reply. What was there to say to _that_? 'Thank God she's broken because it makes the argument where I convince you to stay with me just _that_ much stronger'? "Ironic." He released a speculative laugh as he stared into the red of his wine glass. Charlie knew that Steven was staring at him with a question in his face-_No Meeks, I never drugged you back when we were friends_. Charlie almost laughed-but didn't.

"At first I was so _angry_ that you had fallen in love with someone else, _Steven_," Charlie snaps, his face sharp and bitter as he recalled what it had been like, when Marian had first stepped onto the scene. "But then I saw how happy you were...I didn't even know you had been sad..."

"Charlie-"

"But drugging your wife," Charlie chuckled, "It seems like that happiness I saw, was the after-glow of a _lot_ of sex. You don't seem so happy now."

"I love my family-I love my kids."

"And hey, you have two _stunning_ kids! I'm not denying that!" Charlie looked at his humbled company, mentally grinning that he had succeeded in lowering Steven;s guard, "I hate to be a fortune cookie but _love, happiness does not make_. So you have a deep affection for your wife-is it love? Are you... _happy_?"

Steven faltered as his mind started swimming with doubts before he realized Charlie was fucking with him. "Great thanks," He was rife with sarcasm, "You know, you are such an obnoxious..._RRGHH! " _Steven made threatening throttling motions with his hands before swiping up his wine and stormed off.

Charlie watched him leave with an amused expression. "I could make you happy, Steven." Charlie's voice curled around Steven's legs, pricked his ears and forced him to halt his hasty retreat. Hi heart thudded in his chest-he waited anxiously for Charlie to laugh it off and found himself frozen when no such sound reverberated through the air. "I did once, didn't I?" Charlie pulled Steven back by the edge of his suit jacket, the glass of his wine echoed as it connected with the stone barrier and the shush of Charlie's arms sliding around Steven's taut waist whispered through it. "Will you give me a second chance?" Steven shivered-it had been _too damn long_ since he had felt this burning and blatant _want_ surge through him. With an unsteady pulse he cleared his throat and gingerly attempted to pry Charlie's fingers out of his buttons. "Alright _fine," _Charlie sighed before he rested his chin on Steven's tense shoulder, "_Third_ chance, then."

Steven paused as he sought to recall what it was that Charlie refer-oh-_OH!_

"Christ, don't remind me! That was the most humiliating English class of my life!" Steven laughed as he remembered trying to quietly hide under his desk as the catty smirk of Dalton announced in a majestic powerful voice "Two roads diverged in a would and _I_...I just picked one because _psh_ who cares? We were so drunk we'd fuck anywhere."

"It's nice to hear you laugh again..." Steven jerked as Charlie pulled him in tighter-by now Steven wasn't _really_ fighting back anymore. It was a battle he had lost _years_ ago. Charlie's lips ghosted down the shell of Steven's ear as he flushed crimson and his breath hitched-pathetic, really. "_Ste-ven~_"

Damn Dalton and his cool attitude and teasing sing-song voice. Steven was being _manipulated, damnit! Force_ against his _rational will_ to fall limp, his head back on Charlie's shoulder with an escaped soft moan. Charlie had _always_ smelled so..._good_.

"I'm married." Steven managed to mutter through a dry mouth.

"I know." Charlie kissed the sensitive skin beneath Steven's ear, smiling into his flushed skin when he had skillfully elicited another soft noise of defeat and arousal.

"So, so what," Steven panted; he tried to regain _some_ composure, "Are you trying to replace her?"

"No Steven, I don't want to be a woman," Charlie rolled his eyes with a laugh on his lips. "What a _stupid, misguided_ idea of homosexuality." They grinned, their eyes meeting in a smirk. "I want _you_ to be the woman."

"Gee Charlie, that's the nicest thing you've said to me all year."

Steven jerked in surprise as he discovered Charlie had decided to box Steven in, not even flinching when he heard the delicate shattering of the wine glass he had accidentally knocked over in the process. "I can amend that..."

Steven felt a blush rise to his cheeks. This was preposterous! _"Charlie-"_

"Shut up a minute," Charlie pinned him down, just like he used to and _Christ_ Steven _had_ missed this; Charlie's heat, his predatory smile, his smell, his texture-_everything_. How had Steven survived for the past _five years_?

Their noses touched as Charlie stared into Steven's flustered face, "I feel like...I haven't been _living_ my life, Mr. Meeks. I want..." He brought their noses together in a chaste eskimo kiss that had Steven sighing softly, "To do at _least one_ illegal thing to you tonight..."

As soon as Steven realized what Charlie had said, he immediately started protesting and stopped any attempt Charlie made to kiss him. "Stop it Charlie!" He hissed. "I'm married! For six years! I'm a _Father_ now, for _Christ's sake_! I love-"

And once again Charlie deftly cut through Steven angry rant by catching his wrists and pinning them down to Steven's sides. "You would love me if it wasn't for this communication barrier between us!" Charlie remain calm as Steven stared up at him stunned.

"Communication barrier?" Steven echoed, not quite sure of what he was hearing.

"I refer to, of course, your _shirt_."

"!"

* * *

_Hi all, I've R E A L L Y missed writing T^T so much in fact that I finished fleshing this out around 4:30am this morning. I could have forced this into Cloudy Days somehow but I'm not in the mood for word manipulation at the moment._

_Part of my problem is that I have no idea what I want to work on neeeeeexxxxxt *cries* somebody help meeeeeeee  
_

_ Oh, and a few inspiring lines of dialogue I nicked from A Softer World. Just saying and all._


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